Big Smile Now
by MadGeorge
Summary: Sara Takes A Closer Look At Her Past Through An Old Yearbook. R&R ASAP. Oneshot.


DISCLAIMER: CSI IS NOT MINE, I WISH IT WAS, BUT ITS NOT.

A/N: This is my second ever fic, my first is called "A Little Black Notebook". Please take pity on a rookie eh? Hope y'all like it! Oh and K8, see if you can find the secret shoutout to you for being an awesome friend and editor!

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Big Smile Now. 

By MadGeorge

No Sticky Fingers

Sara Sidle sat on her bed, thinking to herself, she had her old high school yearbook open on the pillow, she was looking through it, waiting for an old friend to arrive, they hadn't seen each other in years, and were planning to catch up. She was looking at all the pictures and reminiscing, it had been ages since she had seen that book, and it was pretty apparent from the liberal dust covering that she hadn't really wanted too. But just the other day, she had gotten a call from Amanda, and she realised that it was a sign that she had to confront the bad times she had back then.

All of a sudden, there was a knock at the door, "oh, must be Amanda, better let her in!" Sara thought. She smoothed out her shoulder length brown hair and her shirt, and went to open the door, still holding the yearbook, she took a look through the peephole and saw not Amanda, but… Nick? "What the hell is Nick doing here?" She asked herself, "I didn't even know he knew where I lived…" She opened the door anyway, Nick pulled a bunch of flowers out from behind his back. "Hey Sara, what? No welcome wagon?" Nick laughed. Sara looked him right in the eyes, "Nick, first of all, what are you doing here? Second, how did you know where I lived?" "Catherine told me, Sara. Sorry to turn up here unannounced, but you seemed so sad all week, thought you might need a pick-me-up, I know how much you like lilies…" "How do you know I like lilies?" "Grissom told me" Nick chuckled, despite himself. "Nick, what are you doing? Grilling Catherine and Grissom? The flowers are great, but I'm kind of expecting someone" and then reading the look on Nick's face "not a date Nicky, an old friend from high school."

Sara walked over into the kitchen, filled a vase with water, and deposited the flowers inside. "Those look nice there, Sara, you needed something to brighten up the place." "Thanks Nick, the flattery never ends with you does it?" Sara gave Nick a gap-toothed smile. "Nah, you're just lucky Sidle. But I was wondering what that yearbook was about, can I see?" he said, and reached for the book, Sara pulled it away, looking a little embarrassed, "No, for some reason, I don't want my new co-workers to see me back in high school, thanks, but no thanks." Nick laughed, "Sara, we were all geeks back in high school, come on" he got down on his knees, "please?"

"Sara Sidle! You're even more gorgeous then you were in high school, god I hate you for that!" Said a blonde woman, rounding the corner of the stairwell. "Amanda!" Exclaimed Sara, running over and embracing her, "My lord, girl, what's this handsome man doing on his knees? Have I interrupted something?" Amanda asked with a raised eyebrow. "God, I forgot, get your ass up Nicky, Amanda, this is Nick Stokes, one of my co-workers, he's trying to get me to show him our yearbook" Nick brushed himself off, and held out his hand, "nice to meet _you._"

"Down boy" Sara said, giggling, "Sorry Amanda, Nick, like most men, is prone to making a pass at anyone with two X chromosomes. Besides Nick, you're wasting your time, Amanda's been dating the same guy for three years now." Nick turned a shade of red only found in the inner flesh of a pomegranate. Amanda laughed, "actually Sara, I dumped his cheating ass last month, so I don't really mind Nicks advances, it is Nick, isn't it?" Nick coughed, "In that case, Amanda, I bet that Nicky here would probably be delighted to sit in on our little reading session, am I right Nick?" Nick laughed, "only if it's okay with you, Miss…" "DeCaro, Amanda DeCaro." "Well then guys, come on in. My neighbours are probably beginning to wonder what the hell is going on out here."

The three entered Saras apartment. They sat on her couch and Nick grabbed the book out of her hand. "Hey, nice manners Nick!" Yelled Sara, trying in vain to reclaim her yearbook. Nick opened it up. "Hey Sara, is that you? Man, you were a total fox in high school!" Sara blushed, "Nick, I look exactly the same, it's kind of embarrassing." Nick smiled that smile that made so many women melt, "I rest my case." He said with a wink. "Hey, do I need to leave you two alone or something?" Amanda asked with a laugh. Sara shook her head, "no, Nick has that effect on many women." Nick laughed, "man, why didn't I go to your school? The girls are _so_ much hotter that where I went! Lucky bastards." He said, surveying the many pictures of the male population of Sara's old school.

"Oh, my god!" Sara said, pulling the book out of Nicks hands and into her lap, "Amanda, look at this, it's us! Look at those big smiles on everybody's faces, they're so real, probably because of that cheesy camera guy who took our pictures every year!" "Yeah"-agreed Amanda, "I remember he always used to say "Say Cheese! Big Smile Now!" And if you asked him why you had to say cheese, he'd laugh and say…" They paused and looked at each other "CHEESE MAKES YOU SMILE!" They said in unison, before collapsing into the couch in a giggling heap. Nick raised his eyebrows, "you girls, my heavens, I bet you were the same way in high school." Sara laughed, "you know it's funny, I wonder how many of these kids would have smiled if they'd known how their lives would turn out. I mean, I don't know if I would have."

Amandas eyes softened, "yeah, me neither, I mean, look over here, it's Michelle and Annie, they were so close, but then they got into a fight over a boy, and they just… never spoke again. An 8 year friendship… ruined, because of some boy." Nick spoke, "well, we guys are pretty irresistible," he said with a winning smile. Sara looked at him with scorn. "It isn't funny Nick. No guy is worth losing a friendship over, and I'm surprised you'd insinuate _anything_ to contradict that." Nick crumpled. He looked sad. "Sorry Sar'. Didn't mean to hurt your feelings." Sara turned a little red. "Sorry Nicko, it's just a bit of a sore spot for me." Nick didn't bother to contradict her, they knew Sara didn't have many significant relationships, so she treasured the friends she had.

Sara forced a smile to try and lighten the mood. "Sooo… Um, can I get anyone a drink?" Nick raised his head, "Beer, if you have it, please." Sara smiled, "no problem, Amanda, what about you?" "Same, if that's okay" "No problem," said Sara, "three beers, coming right up." She disappeared into the kitchen, only to reappear moments later with three Millers in hand, she dutifully passed one to each of her friends, "drink up me hearties, yo ho!" Nick and Amanda laughed, "Sara! I didn't think you were a Johnny Depp Fan!" Exclaimed Nick, "well, Nicky my boy, there are a lot of things you don't know about me!" Sara replied with a little wink. "And frankly, the things you don't know about me could fill several thick books."

Amanda leaned forward and turned the page, "hey Nick, I have something here I think you might like…" she said as she scanned the pages, obviously looking for something specific. "Here it is, our own Miss Sara Sidle, homecoming princess." Amanda passed the book to Nick, who looked at the page and emitted a long, low whistle. "Wow Sara, you look hot, that dress doesn't still fit does it? Hey, ouch!" He dodged the crime novel Sara swung at him. "Yeah well that serves you right for that nice little comment!" Sara said with a sneer. Nick looked at her quizzically, "Sara, what's wrong with me making a pass at you? You looked nice, I was simply pointing out a fact!" Sara turned around and snapped at him "what's wrong Nick? What's wrong? You hit on just about every girl you see, I don't wanna be just another girl you can look at! I worked my whole life to be known for my mind, and yet the first thing you do is judge me for my looks, how do you think that makes me feel?" She stormed out of the room in anger.

"Whoa…" Whispered Amanda, "I mean… She always had a short fuse… But what the hell happened?" Nick looked shocked, "Man, I don't know, usually she laughs it off when I hit on her, dunno, maybe she's a little bent out of shape about me interrupting your little love-fest or something." Amanda rolled her eyes, "yeah, that's it, I'm sure, look, you two obviously have some things to work out. I have to go anyway, it's a little late and I have a long drive home." Amanda walked over to Saras bedroom, "hey Sar'? I have to get going, see you another time okay?" Sara got up from her bed and hugged her old friend, "thanks hon, sorry if I got a little short with you guys, I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

Nick watched Amanda leave, then he moved over to Saras bedroom, where she was sitting on the bed, her back to him. He went over and sat next to her, "hey Sar'? Is something wrong? You can tell me, promise." Sara sighed and lay back, pulling Nick down so they were lying side by side, "Nick, you're going to laugh at me." Nick smiled, "I won't laugh at you Sara, I respect you too much to do that." Sara turned over so she faced him, "well, okay, Nick, you have to hear this, since I moved here, it hasn't really been a secret that I haven't had any really good relationships, and frankly, lately, I've been seeing things differently. And I guess what I'm trying to say is… Well, no matter what, regardless of all the stuff that's happened to me since then, I want you to know, that I would still have smiled in my yearbook photo."

Nick looked surprised, "um… okay? Why would I laugh at you for that?" Sara sighed, sometimes Nick didn't pick up on things. "Look Nick, it's not so much that I would have smiled, but the reason why." Sara hesitated here. Almost as if she was trying to backtrack, but then she just came out with it, "no matter how bad things have felt in the past, right now, right here, in your arms, I feel safer then ever before, and that's more reason to smile then anyone should ever need." Nick moved closer and pulled her closer, and right there, at that moment, they both knew that everything was gonna be okay.

Fin.

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A/N: Like it? I know it's not as good as the first, but my good friend K8 is a Snickers fan, so I had to write a Snickers just for her! If she likes it, then that means that it's good enough for me.


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